Drawer-lock for addressing-machines.



D. O. HUGHES.

DRAWER LOOK FOR ADDRESSING MACHINES.

- APPLICATION FILED JUNE 27, 1910.

1 46,789, Patented Dec. 10, 1912.

DAVYDD C. HUGHES, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO ROGERS ADDRESSERCOMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

DRAWER-LOCK FOR ADDRESSING-MACHINES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 10, 1912.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, DAVYDD C. HUGHES, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of the city of Chicago, in the county of Cook and Stateof Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inDrawer-Locks for Addressing-Machines, of which the following is a full,true, clear, and exact description, such as will enable others skilledin the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to addressing machines and particularly to theclass of addressing machines in which individual or unitary type platesare used. In addressing machines of this class the unitary or individualtype plates, each plate carrying type representing an address, name andthe like, are stacked up in a magazine therein, and as the machineoperates it periodically withdraws these plates from the stack one at atime and passes them into printing position in the machine, the plates.being discharged from said machine after they have made their impressionupon sheets of paper. The plates are usually discharged or delivered inthe same relation that they were taken from the stack and are deliveredinto a drawer or receptacle disposed in position to receive the plates.The drawer or receptacle is usually removable from the machine in orderthat it may be placed in a filing cabinet with its type plates arrangedin the manner of a card index and they are usually made of steel orother metal which combines rigidity and durability with compactness andlightness. Since both the drawer and type plates are metal, the typeplates in striking or landing on the bottom of the drawer emit a sharp,metallic sound which is rather disagreeable in an oflice. It alsohappens that the drawer becomes accidentally displaced from its properposition for receiving type plates, either by the jar of the machine orotherwise, and of course the natural operation of the entire machine isdisturbed.

The object of my invention is to provide means in association with theprinting machine and cooperating with the drawer for silencing orsoftening the impact blows of the plates as they fall into the drawer,and for preventing the plates from becoming battered or upset on theiredges, thereby making it unnecessary to equip each individual drawerwith an impact device.

A further object is to provide a simple lock which will retain thedrawer in position against accidental displacement, but which willpermit the intentional removal or replacing of the drawer.

A further object of my invention is to obtain the above mentionedadvantages by the provision of simple and effective means which isextremely inexpensive.

My invention will be understood by reference to the accompanyingdrawings in connection with the following description:

In the drawings, Figure 1 represents a view in side elevation of anaddressing or printing machine in which my invention is embodied, thisview showing a type-plate drawer or receptacle in position to receivethe type plates as they are discharged from the machine; Fig. 2 is a topplan view of one of these drawers and shows the manner in which thedrawer is constructed to embody my invention; Fig. 8 is a transversevertical section on line'33 of Fig. 1 showing a drawer in its relativeposition in the framework of the machine, and showing the details of astructure embodying my invention.

Referring more particularly to Fig. l, A represents an addressingmachine of the class in which unitary or individual type plates are usedfor printing names, addresses and the like. The type plates are usuallyplaced in a stack one above the other in the magazine B from which theyare withdrawn one by one from the bottom thereof and passed through themachine into printing position for printing an impression upon a sheetof paper or an envelop which is fed thereto from the feed magazine C.After the typeplates have performed their printing operation they aredischarged from an outlet or chute D in the forward part of the machine,the plates dropping downwardly in a substantially vertical position intoa drawer E supported in the lower portion of the framework of themachine in position to receive the falling plates. As each plate dropsinto the drawer it is shoved or pushed toward. the

rear end thereof by the packer or pusher I mechanism F.

In the machine in which I have embodied my invention, the drawer isformed up from sheet metal into a comparatively long, narrow,rectangular box or receptacle open at its top. It is held in asubstantially horizontal position in the lower part of the machine by abed or support 1 hung or suspended by the arms 2 between and secured tothe side members 41 of the framework of the machine. The bed 1 consistsof an open frame having side and end portions 5 and 6 respectively, theside portions being provided with flanges 7 extending upwardly from theedges thereof at right angles, these flanges serving to guide the drawerinto position. The arms 2 are integral with the side portions 5 and aresecured to the framework t by bolts or otherwise. The drawer is disposedin the lower part of the machine frame with its forward end directlyunder thedischarge outlet D of the machine. As the type plates Gr falltherefrom into the drawer they usually land in a slightly inclinedposition, and after each plate lands in the drawer it is pushed towardthe rear end of the drawer by the packer or pusher mechanism F. Thedrawer E is arranged to slide easily on its bed 1 so as to be conveniently removed or' replaced and it is guided thereon by the flanges 7as it is moved into and out of position. ward end of the drawer isprovided with a suitable grip or handle 3 by which it may be grasped.

In the forward end of the bed or support 1 and securely held on the endportion 6 by screws 8 are two impact devices or impact blocks 9 spacedlaterally at some distance apart and disposed substantially under thedischarge outlet of the machine so that the plates in falling strike thesurface of'the blocks edge on. These impact devices are preferably madeof fiber or rubber or some other suitable material which, when struck bythe plates as they fall, will not batter or upset the edges of theplates. These blocks being of a comparatively soft material they willdeaden or silence the impact of the plates as they strike the surfacethereof, and they will also prevent the plates from bounding or beingdeflected out of their proper position. They are preferably maderectangular in cross'section and of such dimensions that the plates willalways strike some portion of their upper impact surfaces even thoughthey should vary slightly in their downward course. These blocks project upwardly through holes or openings 10 @provided therefor in thebottom of the drawer, so that their upper surfaces are raised somewhatabove the bottom of the drawer and the plates are held out of contactwith the bottom of the drawer until they are pushed off the blocks 9 bythe pusher mechanism F. After the plates strike the blocksit isdesirable that their upper edges fall in a direction toward the rear endof the-drawer so that they will assume an inclined position therein andstack properly. As clearly shown in Fig. 1, I have inclined The for-- ithe upper faces of the blocks, the plane of incline being downwardlytoward the rear end of the drawer and the angle thereof is substantiallyperpendicular to the plate as it strikes the surfaces. Since this is thecase there will be practically no lateral movement of the lower edge ofthe plate while the upper edge thereof will be free to fall backwardly.This condition exists until the pusher mechanism strikes the plate andpushes it off the blocks, this action being assisted by the incline ofthe block surfaces. By equipping the frame or drawer bed with a deviceof this character there is no necessity of providing each individualdrawer with a silencer and impact block, the advantages being clearlyobvious. It is quite desirable that the drawer be held in position inits bed, and I have arranged the im pact blocks so that they havevertical side faces and ends, and, as before stated, pro- 'ject somedistance above the floor or bottom of the drawer through the openings 10therein. Thus they will cooperate with the edges 11 of the openings 10to prevent the drawer from shifting in a longitudinal di rectionsubstantially parallel to the plane of the bed or support 1 andconsequently maintain the drawer against accidental dis placement.However, they permit of the easy removal or replacing of the drawer asis evident fro-m the dotted lines in Fig. 1. hen it is desired to removethe drawer from the machine, the forward or handleend thereof is raisedor lifted until the plane of the bottom of the drawer is slightly abovethe impact blocks 9. The drawer may then be pulled or drawn forwarduntil it is clear of its bed or support. This operation is simplyreversed in placing the drawer in position in its bed,that is to say,its rear end is shoved along the guides until the openings 10 aresubstantially above and register with the impact devices 9 when theforward end of the drawer may simply be dropped so that the impactdevices enter the gpcelnings and the drawer rests firmly in its It isevident that the details may be va ried considerably without departingfrom the spirit of my invention and I wish it to be so understood.

I claim:

1. An addressing machine having a re-. ceptacle for receiving typeplates as they are discharged from the machine, a'support for saidreceptacle, and means associated with said 'support'and cooperating withsaid receptacle for receiving the impact of the type plates as they aredeposited in said receptacle and for retaining said receptacle in itsproper position.

2. An addressing machine having a discharge outlet from which typeplates are discharged, and having a drawer for receiving the dischargedtype plates therefrom, a support for said drawer, and means associatedwith said support and cooperating with said drawer for taking up theimpact of the type plates as they are deposited in said drawer and forretaining said drawer in position to receive said plates.

3. An addressing machine having a discharge outlet from which typeplates are discharged and having associated therewith a drawer forreceiving the discharged type plates therefrom, a support for saiddrawer, and means associated with said support and disposed above thebottom of said drawer for taking up the impact of the type plates asthey fall from said outlet, and cooperating with said drawer forretaining said drawer in position to receive the plates.

4. In an addressing machine the combination with a. drawer for receivingtype plates discharged from said machine, of a support for said drawer,and means projecting upwardly from said support through the bottom ofthe drawer for receiving the impact of the falling type plates and forretaining said drawer in its proper relative position on its support.

5. An addressing machine having an outlet for discharging printing typeplates, a drawer disposed below said outlet for receiving and containingthe discharged printing plates, and means for taking the impact of theprinting plates as they fall from said outlet into said drawer and forlocking said drawer in position below said outlet.

6. An addressing machine having an outlet for discharging printing typeplates, a drawer disposed below said outlet for receiving and containingthe discharged printing plates, a support for said drawer, and an impactdevice associated with said support for taking up the blows of thefalling printing plates, said impact device cooperating with said drawerfor holding said drawer against accidental displacement.

7 An addressing machine having an outlet for discharging printing typeplates, a drawer disposed below said outlet for receiving and containingthe discharged printing plates and having an opening in its bottom, asupport for said drawer, and an impact device mounted upon said supportand projecting upwardly into said drawer through the opening therein forreceiving the blows of the type plates as they fall from said outlet andfor preventing the movement of said drawer.

8. An addressing machine having an outlet from which it discharges typeplates, a removable drawer disposed in position below said outlet toreceive and contain the discharged type plates, a guide support forholding said drawer in position below said outlet, and an impact devicecarried by said support and projecting upwardly therefrom through thebottom of the drawer in position to receive the impact of the fallingtype plates, and for retaining said drawer against movement on itssupport.

9. An addressing machine having an outlet from which it discharges typeplates, a removable drawer disposed in position below said outlet toreceive and contain the discharged type plates, a guide support for saiddrawer holding said drawer in position below said out-let, and an impactblockcarried by said support and projecting upwardly therefrom throughthe bottom of the drawer in position to receive the imp-act of thefalling type plates, and for retaining said drawer against movement onits support, said impact device presenting an inclined impact surfacefor deflecting the type plates therefrom.

10. A printing machine having an outlet from which type plates areperiodically discharged, a framework supportfor said machine, a drawerremovably mounted in said framework and disposed below said outlet forreceiving the discharged type plates, an opening in the bottom of thedrawer, and a comparatively soft impact block secured to said frameworkand projecting upwardly into the drawer through the opening therein forsilencing the noise of the falling plates and for preventing the platesfro-m striking the bottom of the drawer.

11. A printing machine having an outlet from which type plates areperiodically discharged, a framework support for said machine, a drawerremovably mounted in said framework and disposed below said outlet forreceiving the discharged type plates, an opening in the bottom of thedrawer, a comparatively soft impact block secured to said framework andprojecting upwardly into the drawer through the opening therein forsilencing the noise of the falling plates and for preventing the platesfrom striking the bottom of the drawer, and mechanism for pushing eachplate off of said device toward the rear end of the drawer after saidplate strikes the impact device.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand, this 11th day ofJune, 1910, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

DAVYDD C. HUGHES. Witnesses:

M. SIMON, EDGAR F. BEAUBIEN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G.

